2020 Dalsheimer Burgel Spatburgunder Trocken GG
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Tasting notes
This came out of cask in February 2022 and was bottled unfiltered from tank in July of that year. It's due for release in spring 2023. It smells fantastic. High-toned cherry almond is accompanied by floral effusions sweetly suggestive of freesia and a strong suggestion of animal savor that seems equal parts veal and scallop. All of this cashes out on the glossy palate into bright, crunchy red berry juiciness, inner-mouth perfume and mouthwatering carnality. Smoke and toasted coconut hints are the only direct indications of oak influence, and they’re perfectly complementary. Nor, clearly, can wood be any significant drag on the finish because it’s impeccably pure-fruited, animatingly tangy and downright refreshing, as well as possessive of saline-sweet evocations of raw bivalves and crustacean that are quite uncanny. “Bürgel was always entirely from German clones,” explains Keller. But beginning with this edition, nearly half of the wine’s volume reflects Burgundian sélection massale. And not from young vines. Rather, the new material was top-grafted onto the old. “Spätburgunder on Spätburgunder,” as Keller puts it.
Critic scores
Average Score
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
David Schildknecht, Vinous
More reviews and scores
The fruit is brought back to the winery in 15-kg crates every hour so that it does not get hot in the vineyard. Foot-trodden, basket-pressed. 14–16 days on the skins and 16 months in barrel on lees. Bottled April 2022. This vintage is still from the 40-year-old vines that are exclusively German clonal material. From 2021, the genetic material is mass selection and French, from the top-grafted vines. 30% whole bunch. Bright, light crimson. Intense red fruit that reminds me of wild strawberries. Dry, taut, super-fresh, so finely textured by the paper-like layers of tannins. That same fruit scent returns on the finish, with a little bit of white pepper. There’s a very slight stemmy/herbal freshness which lifts this perfectly. No sign of the oak. Lithe, lean in a good way (no fat but not thin), with persistence in its slim shape, and great length. Scented on the finish with those red fruits and herbal notes. Bone dry, leaving your mouth so clean. Juicy but not in the least simple. (JH)
About the producer
Based in the Rheinhessen, Keller is one of the finest Riesling producers in the world, and has set the benchmark for German Pinot Noir.